Ties of Blood and Water (episode)
Kira asks Tekeny Ghemor to come to DS9 to provide information about the Cardassian government and the revitalizing dissident movement; Gul Dukat arrives and demands Ghemor's extradition. Summary Dax, Worf and Kira are waiting at an airlock, awaiting the arrival of Tekeny Ghemor, Kira's Cardassian pseudo-father. The two have become very close since the events of DS9: "Second Skin". The legate is not secure on Cardassia since the takeover by Gul Dukat and the alliance with the Dominion. Kira is hoping Ghemor will lead the political opposition on Cardassia when he tells her that he came to DS9 because he is terminally ill. He has Yarim Fel Syndrome and will probably die soon. Dukat contacts Captain Benjamin Sisko about an arrangement for Ghemor's extradition. Sisko has no intention of negotiating with him since the Federation doesn't even recognize the new Cardassian government and abruptly ends the transmission. Major Kira offers to spend the next few days with Ghemor, replacing the daughter he doesn't have anymore. Their relationship is so close that he even offers to perform the Shri-tal, a Cardassian ritual that involves the dying person telling political secrets to the other, ensuring the survival of this information and its possible use against their enemies. Then begins a series of long interviews. They are exhausting for Kira, but she doesn't complain. These are cut by brief flashbacks that make the parallel between her own father's death during the Occupation of Bajor and the agony of Ghemor. Gul Dukat and Weyoun arrive at DS9 (with peaceful intentions even if they came aboard a Jem'Hadar battlecruiser) to reclaim the fugitive using standard Cardassian strategies. Dukat first offers to bring Ghemor's daughter Iliana back. Then he tries to turn Kira against him. Dukat also makes an attempt to poison Ghemor. One strategy proves to be successful. Kira, even if she knew what to expect from Dukat, feels betrayed when she learns that Ghemor was present at the Kiessa Monastery massacre. She claims she thought Ghemor was different from the other Cardassians but now realizes he is not. Kira's friends help her realize that even if Ghemor's past is stained by the occupation, he doesn't deserve to die alone. After a moment, Kira decides she will not do the same thing she did when her father died and won't find a last minute excuse to miss his death. A flashback shows that she was in a raid against the Cardassians and missed Kira Taban's death by less than an hour. After Ghemor passes away, Dukat insists on having the body brought back to Cardassia Prime in an attempt to turn the circumstances of the death to his advantage. Sisko informs him that the funeral arrangements has already been taken care of. Kira has Ghemor buried on Bajor, right beside her father, under the same tree. Memorable Quotes "Still calling yourself Gul? I'm surprised you haven't promoted yourself back to Legate by now." "I prefer the title 'Gul'; so much more hands-on than Legate. And less pretentious than the other alternatives: President, Emperor, First Minister … Emissary." "How about Dominion puppet?" : - Sisko and Dukat "My... that is quite toxic, isn't it?" : - Weyoun drinking a glass of poisoned Kanar "DABO! That is dabo, isn't it?" "I don't see why you insist on playing this ridiculous game." "I like games." : - Weyoun and Dukat Background Information *This episode marked the first obvious appearance of the Jem'Hadar battlecruiser. In the episodes In Purgatory's Shadow and By Inferno's Light The Jem'Hadar battlecruiser is seen flying through space but is never mentioned. *If you listen carefully during the montage of Kira recording information from Ghemor, he's actually just repeating the line about Gul Trepar over and over again. (Perhaps Yarim Fel Syndrome affects the memory as well). *This episode reintroduces Weyoun after his "death" in "To the Death" and reveals that the Vorta clone themselves (a premise which was created specifically so Jeffrey Combs could reprise his role). Links and References Guest Stars *Lawrence Pressman as Tekeny Ghemor *Marc Alaimo as Dukat *Thomas Kopache as Kira Taban *William Lucking as Furel *Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun Co-Stars *Rick Schatz as Gantt *Mark Allen Shepherd as Morn (uncredited) References Bajor; Bajoran ale; Bajoran Intelligence; Bajoran Militia; Bajoran Resistance; Bajoran Security; Bajoran temple; barrowbug; black hole (drink); Borven; Cardassia Prime; Cardassian Central Archives; Cardassian Central Command; Cardassian dissident movement; Cardassian Supreme Tribunal; Chief Archon; clone; dabo; Dominion; emissary; emperor; Enyak's milk; First Minister; Fourth Order; Gantt; Ghemor, Iliana; glinn; gul; hexagen therapy; immunoregeneration treatment; Jem'Hadar battlecruiser; kai; kanar; Kiessa Monastery; legate; Ninth Order; O'Brien, Keiko; O'Brien, Kirayoshi; Occupation of Bajor; pagh; president; propaganda; Prophets; prylar; Quen; Shakaar Edon; Shri-tal; skimmer; Starfleet Intelligence; Tempasa; tiptracedrine; Trepar; uniform code; vole; voraxna; Winn Adami; Yarim Fel Syndrome. Category:DS9 episodes de:Die Überwindung es:Ties of Blood and Water nl:Ties of Blood and Water